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We are excited to announce a significant development in the TPS program.  Effective March 9, 2021, Venezuelan nationals are eligible to apply for the Temporary Protected Status program per a directive from the Department of Homeland Security.  Venezuelan nationals who can demonstrate continuous residence in the United States since March 8, 2021, and who…

Levine & Eskandari, LLC attorneys are excited to announce a significant development in the DACA program.  On 12/4/2020 Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis of the U.S. District Court – Eastern District of New York ordered the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to initiate the processing of “first time” DACA applications, grant the full two-year renewal…

On June 18, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a surprising 5-4 decision siding with three plaintiffs who claimed that the Trump Administration violated the law (specifically the Administrative Procedures Act) when the administration rescinded the DACA program in December 2017.    The decision is currently being digested and we are awaiting official guidance…

On April 22, 2020 President Trump signed a new proclamation (Executive Order) that suspended the entry of certain categories of foreign nationals from entering the United States.  The text of the order may be found here – You can read the full proclamation here, but I’ll save you some time with what it actually…

Levine & Eskandari, LLC was retained to prepare an H-1B visa petition for a long-time client for the position of Credit Analyst.  Our client in this case, CBC Group, LLC, provides financial and accounting due diligence services to large banks and other lending institutions. Their numerous Credit Analyst employees are charged with assessing the…

Today, I want to provide you with updates on the Coronavirus and how it is affecting US immigration. As of March 18, USCIS has suspended routine in-person services until at least April 1 to help slow the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). This includes naturalization oath ceremonies. USCIS offices will send notices with…

On August 14, 2019, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced its new rule that changed how U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services will determine inadmissibility on the grounds of public charge.   “Public charge” is a ground of inadmissibility. Grounds of inadmissibility are reasons that a person could be denied a green card, visa, or…

On January 31, 2020, U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a new edition of the Form I-9.  Employers may start using the new form (edition date 10/21/2019) or continue using the previous edition (07/17/17) until May 30, 2020.  Starting on May 1, 2020 employers should only use the new edition (10/21/2019).  You can…

On September 24, 2017, President Trump issued Presidential Proclamation 9645, entitled “Enhanced Vetting Capabilities and Processes for Detecting Attempted Entry into the United States by Terrorists or other Public Safety Threats.”   At that time, the following countries were identified as not meeting identity management protocols, information sharing and risk factors: Chad, Iran, Libya, North…

THE SUPREME COURT ALLOWS THE RESTRICTIVE PUBLIC CHARGE RULE TO GO INTO EFFECT On January 27, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court lifted an injunction on the updated USCIS Public Charge regulation, thereby allowing enforcement of the regulation to proceed while litigation continues.  However, the preliminary injunction continues to apply to the State of Illinois.…